Cane or walking stick



May 19, 1936. y| HAGE CANE OR 'WALKING ST'CK Filed Nov. 27, 1933 INVNTOR Y ATTQR NEY ifi Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CANE OR WALKING STICK Louis Hage, San Jose, Calif.'

Application November 27, 1933, Serial No. 699,908

10 Claims.

My invention relates to means for informing operators of motor driven vehicles that the pedestrian who shall display the stop sign in connection with this cane, when carrying same, demands the right of way for personal safety reasons.

This device will provide protection for any pedestrian who may use it, but particularly those who may have physical defectswhich endangers their safe p-assage through trani: lanes, such as impaired vision, hearing, mobility or mental confusion.

In particular, this invention will serve as a needed safety device for use of pedestrians in the crossing of traffic lanes which otherwise have not been provided with traffic control.

A further object of this invention is to provide a signaling device for the use of pedestrians so combined with a walking stick that a warningl signal may be displayed or concealed at the will of the operator, even though he be a novice, and that when the signal is displayed it will b e clearly visible to operators of motor vehicles to whom the signal is directed `for a sufncent `distance in which to bring a motor Vehicle to a safe stop.

While my invention is particularly designed for the use of pedeStrianS'QthIs device may be utilized for other purposes.

Referring to. the drawing:

Figure l shows the appearance of the signalling tra-inc cane when used as a walking stick.

Figure 2 shows the appearance of the cane when held out in front of the operator andr used as a signalling device.

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section on line 3--3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 shows a cross section on line 4-4 of Figure 3 when the stop signal is extended.

Figure 5 shows a cross section on line 4 4 of Figure 3when the stop signal is concealed.

Figure 6 shows .a cross section on line 6 6 of Figure 3.

Number I in the drawing represents the handle part of the cane, and 2 a hollow section in which are concealed the mechanical features necessary for the operation of the signal sign as well as the sign itself when not in use as a signal, this section also serving as the main body of the cane. At 3 is indicated the bottom end of the cane, and at 4 the cover over the slot in section 2 through which the sign screens pass when the signal is extended or retracted. At 5 is a trigger for releasing the signal screens to exposure.

In Figure 3 I show a compression spring 6 which forces trigger 5 into the stop slot in wheel 1. Wheel 'I is made fast to shaft 9a, and shaft 9a passes through bearing 8a into roller I Il and is made fast to said roller. Shaft 9b is hollow and has a bearing I I Xedly inserted in its outer end. Shaft 9b passes through bearing 8b and then 5 into roller III and is made fast to roller IIJ. Spiral rod I3 passes through bearing I I at one end and is made fast to rod I5 at the other end.

Compression spring I2 is supported at one endr on bearing 8b and at the other end on supporting 10 washer I4. Washer I4 is made fast to rod I5.' On rod I5 is a stop washer I6 which butts up against slide bearing I'I when the signal is eX- posed or extended. Bearing I'I is made fast to main body end 2 and has a passage that is square 15 in cross-section to allow the square section of rod I5 to slide therethrough.` `At I8 is the bottom support for feather springs 26a and 20h, and at I s is the top support for feather springs 20a' and 29D, signal screens 2Ia and 2lb and cover 4.

In Figure 4 the stop sign screens 2Iaand 2lb are extended and supported by feather springs 29a and 20h, and show the position for signaling purposes.

In Figure 5 the stop or signal screens 2 I a and 2 Ib 25 are rolled over roller II). The supporting feather springs 26a and 2Gb being folded down into the bottom supporting channel member I8, the top supporting member I9 with top cover 4 is pulled down so as to cover the screens and the 3o openings through which they pass.

In Figure `6 I show a rod I5 which is square in cross-section, also a square bearing I'I, so that when rod I5 is caused to move it can only slide but not turn. Rod I5 may be any shape in sec- 35 tion other than round, with a similar fitting slide bearing so that the rod I5 may be made to slide but not turn.

The arrows shown in the cross-sections of 4roller In in Figures 4 and 5 show the direction" the 40 roller I0 turns in the opening and closing of the signal screens.

In practice, when the operator desires to signal he will pull the trigger 5 which in turn releases wheel l. When wheel 'I is released com- 45 pression spring I2 pushes rod I5 outwardly, and with rod I5 the spiral rod I3. The spiral rod I3 then causes roller I0 to turn through the action of sliding through bearing II, thereby allowing the screens 2 Ia and 2 Ib to unwind from roller I0. 50 When screens 2Iw and 2lb unwind the feather springs 20a and 20h lift the top supporting bar I9 and cover 4 and also signal screens 2Ia and 2lb. It will be seen that in all this action rod 55 I5 can not turn but can only slide outwardly due to its cross-sectional configuration and a similar cross-section shape of the slide bearing I1.

In closing the signal screens the operator pushes the end 3 on the ground or walk, thus causing rod I5 to be pushed inwardly, and with it spiral rod I3 which passes through bearing Il which in turn causes roller I0 to turn and wind over it the screens 2m and 2lb into space 22. This action will pull the signal screens inwardly and with them fold the feather springs, and bring the cover 4 inwardly over the screen openings.

When the closing operation is complete the trigger 5 will have been pushed into the slot in the wheel 'I by compression spring 6 and so lock the closed members.

It will be understood that although I have herewith illustrated and shown but one specic embodiment of my invention, changes in form, construction, and method of operation may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A cane having an extensible and retractable signal device mounted thereon, collapsible means constructed and arranged to support the signal in its extended position, means associated with the cane for collapsing the collapsible means and retracting the signal.

2. In combination, a hollow caneV having an opening formed in the side thereof,`signalling means disposed within the cane and extensible through said opening, manually controlled means for extending the signal through the opening, and-manually controlled means for retracting the signal into the cane.

3. In combination, a hollow cane having an opening formed in the side thereof, a signal operative through said opening and normally disposed within the cane, trigger controlled means forl projecting the signal through the opening, and means actuated by use of the cane to return .,-the signal through the opening to the interior of the cane.

4. In combination, a hollow cane having an opening formed in the side thereof, a signal mounted within the cane and operative through said opening, resilient means for` urging the signal outwardly through the opening, means for retracting the signal against the outward urge of the resilient means, and releasable locking means for the signal when retracted.

5. In combination, a vhollow cane having an opening formed in the side thereof, a roller mounted in the cane opposite the opening, a signal device mounted on the Aroller and operative through the opening, resilient means for urging the signal outwardly through the opening, cane actuated means for rotating the roller to retract the signal, and releasable locking means for the signal when retracted.

6. In combination, a hollow cane having an opening in the side thereof, a roller journaled in the cane adjacent the opening, a exible signal mounted on the roller and extensible through the opening, resilient means inserted between the signal and cane and adapted to urge the signal into an extended position, a push-rod engaging the roller and extending through the end of the cane, resilient means for urging the rod outwardly through the end of the cane, push-rod actuated means for operating the roller to retract the signal, and releasable means for vlocking the signal when retracted.

7. In combination, a hollow cane having an opening formed in the side thereof, a signal operative through said opening and normally disposed within the cane, an operating rod mounted within the cane and extensible through the end remote from the handle thereof, resilient means for simultaneously urging the signal and rod into extended positions, means actuated by retraction of the rod to simultaneously retract the signal, and releasable means for locking the signal and rod when retracted.

8. In combination, a hollow cane having an opening in the side thereof, a roller journaled within the cane adjacent the opening, a signal mounted on the roller to operate through the opening, and actuating means for the roller comprising, a member slidably mounted in the cane and extending through the end remote from the handle, resilient means for urging the member into an extended position while permitting its retraction when pressed against a resisting surface, driving means connecting the roller and member whereby movement of the member in opposite directions will rotate the roller in opposite directions, and releasable means for locking the member when retracted.

9. A cane having an extensible and retractible signal device mounted thereon, a collapsible support associated with the cane to hold the signal in extended position and means associated with the cane and actuated by pressing the cane endways against a resisting surface while holding the cane by its handle end for collapsing the support and retracting the signal.

10. A cane having an extensible and retractable signal device mounted thereon, means associated with the cane to effect the extension of the signal and support the same in an extended position, and means actuated by pressing the cane endways against a resisting surface while holding the cane by its handle end to retract the signal.

LOUIS HAGE. 

